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Plenty of hits, but Rundgrens perform on different stages
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Photo by Louie Traub/Review-Journal
Las Vegas 51s shortstop Rex Rundgren, right, poses with his father, musician Todd Rundgren, in the dugout Tuesday following the 51s' 4-3 loss to Sacramento at Cashman Field. » Buy this photo
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Todd Rundgren, shown performing with the New Cars in Boston on June 7, 2006, has had a long and fruitful career as a songwriter, musician and producer. Photo by The Associated Press
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Las Vegas 51s shortstop Rex Rundgren signs autographs for fans at Cashman Field following the team's 4-3 loss to the Sacramento River Cats on Tuesday. Rundgren, who is batting .259, hit his first home run of the season in the loss. Photo by Louie Traub/Review-Journal » Buy this photo
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Sep. 26, 2008 | 4:18 p.m.
Other than an ill-fated attempt at playing Little League baseball, musician Todd Rundgren has never been much of an athlete.
Sure, he still displays plenty of physical agility and stamina on stage -- just not playing organized sports.
But that hasn't stopped him from putting his stamp on the sports world.
Rundgren's son Rex plays for the 51s, and his father's 1983 hit "Bang the Drum All Day" has evolved into a popular American sports anthem.
I don't want to work, I want to bang on the drum all day. I don't want to play, I just want to bang on the drum all day.
The 51s play the song on a regular basis. The Green Bay Packers play the song after every touchdown they score at Lambeau Field.
"I heard them play it here (while listening to a game) on the radio a couple times when somebody scores," said Rundgren, who was at Cashman Field on Monday and Tuesday watching Rex play shortstop for Las Vegas.
"It's one of those songs everybody knows, but nobody knows where it came from."
Rundgren, who will turn 60 on June 22, has recorded or produced close to 100 albums, including Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell," but is best known for his hits "Hello, It's Me" and "Bang the Drum All Day" -- a tune that he said came to him in a dream.
"It's great to be known for a particular song," said Rundgren, who was decked out for Tuesday morning's game in a black suit and sneakers, a 51s hat and green-tinted sunglasses.
"When you have a song that kind of finds its way into the collective conscience and (people) don't even remember where it came from, like 'Happy Birthday,' (it makes me) feel like I've contributed something to the culture."
When Rundgren was touring with the likes of former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr, Rex Rundgren discovered baseball while growing up in Sausalito, Calif.
"He was always on the road and I was always in school," said Rex Rundgren, 27. "I had to do something to pass the time, and the only thing to do in a real small town was sports. I got involved and never stopped."
Rex Rundgren, whose younger brother, Randy, was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 2004, met members of the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith and other bands as a kid but never learned how to play an instrument.
He also considers actress Liv Tyler his sister, although they aren't related by blood. They were raised as siblings before a paternity test determined Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler to be Liv's father. She was 10 at the time and Rex 7.
"I never really got into music," Rex Rundgren said. "I didn't really like it when I was younger, but now I have more respect for music. I like it a lot and wish I could play."
Likewise, Todd Rundgren was never interested in sports growing up.
"My thing was always music. I never did anything else," said Rundgren, who learned how to play guitar at age 5 and has played professionally for 42 years.
"Once I got my hands on a guitar, nothing could stop me. I played it all the time, no matter how much my fingers hurt."
Rex Rundgren was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 11th round of the 2001 draft and played in their organization for seven seasons before being released on the last day of spring training this year.
"I learned everything I know about baseball after he was drafted," Todd Rundgren said.
A career .238 hitter in the minors, Rex Rundgren had played in only eight games in Triple A before joining Las Vegas, which needed a sure-handed infielder.
"Rex has had a reputation of being a very, very good defensive shortstop," 51s manager Lorenzo Bundy said. "A lot of people in the Marlins organization said he could play shortstop in the big leagues, defensively. But he's got to work on his offense."
Rex Rundgren, batting .259 (7-for-27) in 12 games, hit his first home run of the season in Tuesday's 4-3 loss to Sacramento.
He hopes to play well enough to earn a return trip to Las Vegas next year.
"I want to give the Dodgers a good impression," he said. "I wouldn't be playing this game if I didn't think there was a shot for me to go up."
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